LifeBoat

The previous post,  dated May 9, was written as our community found itself grieving the sudden death of a beloved pastor-friend-mentor-leader-writer. His musings which he shared almost daily were written after walks with his dog, visits with his parishioners, life’s ups&downs, time spent with his family, long drives whenever the road would take them, or just some thoughts on a rainy day as he looked out the window of his study.  Each post written and shared was a sermon in itself with an insight into God’s creation and a unique spiritual moment of contemplation. He helped the reader to celebrate life, love, and God’s blessings.

We celebrated a life well-lived, a ministry well-served, a love shared selflessly to all.  He graduated from his calling here on earth and has gone on into the life prepared for him with our Lord for eternity.  I believe we can ‘take a lesson’ from this. We are in the midst of the celebrations which this time of year seems to pile into our schedules – school and college, weddings and babies, anniversaries and patriotic dates. Family and friends are graduating from one season of life into the hoped-for future plans. Some of us are through much of our own life adventures and are down-sizing back to the more simple enjoyments that all those many years behind us have cluttered and crowded out.

No matter what stage of life you and I are currently in, we must keep our eyes and hearts and spirits looking toward that next step in God’s plan for us.  We celebrate each step as we prepare for that final graduation day into His presence.

As we travel this earth, we see limited views through our personal window. Scripture reminds us that we also see ‘darkly’.  The glass might be dirty or scratched or distorted because of imperfections, so the view cannot be seen clearly. Even if the window pane is as clean and clear as possible on one day, it will get messy again with the next storm, bug, or bird which hits it. It’s part of life. Enjoy the view from each window and make all attempts to keep it clear. Journey along the path which is seen from your window and discover all that our Lord has prepared for you.  Be encouraged that when we complete our travels here, the view will be spectacular from the other side and we will see clearly what can only been seen in part until then.

National Day of Prayer – 2019 > pray for our country, our families, our friends, our neighborhoods, our enemies, ourselves. Just pray today in any way > with others, in silence, outloud, minute prayers or lengthy prayertime, on the move, on the road, in the house, or enjoying God’s Creation. Pray sometime today. Don’t ‘know how’? It’s just sharing what’s on your heart with the Father of us all. It takes less time than texting and is the most important message of the day. He really enjoys hearing from us. Lift up your voice in song if you feel like it because that is prayer also.

Out of the grave He arose on the first day of a new week, victorious over the horrific events of the previous days! Nothing could defeat Jesus, not even death! The long nights of agony and betrayal were over and He came through it all with a new hope for all who hear and believe!  Our answer to our winter season of despair is the simple phrase proclaimed on Resurrection Sunday –  ‘My Redeemer Lives’.  He has shown us the way to stand victorious but even more importantly – He is the Way, the only Way, the One Way to overcome whatever this world brings each day.  It is only a few short days since we remembered and celebrated with joyous proclamation of His Truth. Are we standing firm in that joy? are we remembering and rejoicing? He Lives! He lives within our hearts and a new day is coming!

Everyone has  certainly experienced a week which might have begun on a high note but ended quite differently.  It is doubtful that any human, either before or since Christ’s week of extremes, can relate completely to what our Lord experienced!  Welcomed into the city one day by the cheers of the crowd which hailed Him as the awaited King, betrayed and accused as a blasphemer and seditionist within a few days, and then nailed to a cross to die as a vile criminal – no, we have very limited understanding of what He went through that week.  That week was extremely important as it unfolded and it remains the most important week in this world’s history because of its extreme events.  The most extreme part of His story is the victory over the grave where He ended that one holy week plus the fact that He began the very next week with a most glorious new start!

That was, and remains, ‘extreme’!

One word sums up the story of life.  How much love do we share, how much love do we receive? What type of love do we experience? Where do we find love when there seems to be such a lack of love in this world? How can we trust the love that is expressed? When do we know that we are loved? Is there true love?  One person in all of the history of this world has ever been proven faithful in His love. One man walked this earth to be the perfect example of what it means to love perfectly.  One life was given so that others may live in that perfect love given freely and forever. One perfect day rings victoriously throughout eternity because of His love.

God Is Love!  Jesus Is the Living Word! The Holy Spirit Is the incomparable expression of God’s perfect Gift of His Love through Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection!  Celebrate His Love this Easter season and for all eternity!

Our life’s story is stitched together with the pieces of each experience, each encounter, each opportunity, each failure, each success, each struggle, each trial, each loss, each blessing, each discovery, each day.  The pieces are the fabric of our life’s journey which creates a beautiful tapestry or quilt.  Colors and patterns and textures and shapes become a masterpiece. Each one is a unique and special creation stitched together by the Master Artist.  Look at each piece with pride, love, thankfulness, and joy.

   Spring.  Change of season. Sunshine. Warmth. Fresh air. New growth. Color. Longer days. Enjoy nature. Gardens prepared. Attitudes adjusted.

Life brings change. Change brings growth. Growth brings a new season. New seasons bring new opportunities. Opportunities bring encouragement. Encouragement brings smiles. Smiles bring uplifted attitudes. Happy attitudes bring more smiles.

Enjoy the seasons of life, for each one has its opportunities and growth.  Just remember to bring the smile along for each new opportunity.

Cold and harsh yet clean and beautiful, winter’s final snows can add a new dimension of hopefulness for the coming spring. The earth begins to open up once more for the life which seemed to have died but was only preparing for a new season of joy. Does that not remind us of what this season of Lent is all about? God gave life, Christ gave up His life, the Holy Spirit renews life again! Creation rejoices, we are resurrected with Him, and our hope springs eternal. Come Lord Jesus, we long for your return in glory even as we look forward to the earth breaking forth in the beauty of the coming springtime.

Too many years of archived photos and notes and memorabilia from generations of my family and of my husband’s, plus the fifty+ years of our marriage and now our daughter’s family, must eventually be sorted and purged and reorganized. Yikes! This is my current project and challenge.  It is interesting to say the least! Boxes of photos, bins of stored memories, unknown items which must have been kept for some reason, wonderful mementos and souvenirs which catch at my heart, documents and notes of important family history – oh what an adventure in my own time capsule.  At least a  portion of the archives can now be given away or must be disposed of due to age. A few items have been rediscovered with a jolt of surprise for the sentiment attached, and tears roll as melancholy washes over me. Encouragement is the overriding result, which shouldn’t surprise me but does for a moment. Yesterday the encouragement came with a beautiful bookmarker decorated with butterflies and the words  “Life is full of obstacles, so just trust in Him and He will carry you through”, and a business-sized card with “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matt.11:28).  Those words have carried countless friends and family members through many trials and blessings for generations, so I can be assured that those words are enough for me as well.